Fire Captain Ronnie Metcalf was fighting a fire in a vacant house in Lexington, North Carolina on March 26 when he was severely injured. He died from his injuries days later at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem.
Investigators said they think the fire was intentionally set in the house at 306 W. 5th St. in Lexington. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a $2,500 reward for information on who started the fire.
Firefighters responded to the house fire just after midnight on March 26 and saw fire and smoke coming from the building, according to the fire department.
Fire crews "initiated an interior fire attack to extinguish the fire. A few minutes later, an order to evacuate the structure was issued," the Lexington Fire Department said.
When the firefighters got out of the building, they realized they were missing one of their crew, the fire department said.
"Search teams reentered the structure to locate and extricate Metcalf. He was then treated by EMS at the scene for burn injuries and transported by helicopter to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital," according to the fire department.
Metcalf, 53, had been with the department for 19 years. He died from his injuries on March 29, leaving behind a wife, two children and three grandchildren.